Patrons of Nature

As Regent of the Principality since 2005, HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco has provided global leadership in conservation in His official capacity, as the founder of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and as a Patron of Nature. 
Created in 2006, the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation encourages sustainable and fair management of natural resources and places humankind at the centre of its projects and supports the implementation of innovative and ethical solutions in three areas: climate change, water and biodiversity. The foundation, along with the Principality, are members of IUCN.
“It is important to join forces to increase awareness of the importance of safeguarding our environment. We need to continue our efforts, now more than ever, to protect our planet; it is the responsibility of every single one of us so as to ensure the future of humanity.” HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.
 

Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein is an international public servant and advocate for cross-cultural understanding, conflict prevention and issues such as refugees, missing persons, poverty, climate change and disarmament at local, regional and global levels.

Since 1979, the initiatives of the Noor Al Hussein and the King Hussein Foundations, which She founded and chairs, have advanced development in Jordan and the Middle East. Her Majesty also chaired Jordan’s National Commission which developed Jordan’s first National Environment Strategy and Jordan’s Environment Law, which set standards for water use and quality, specifications to measure and control air pollution and conditions for the establishment and operation of wild and aquatic nature reserves.  

She is the recipient of the United Nations Environment Programme Global 500 Award among many other honours for her activism.

HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden, Duke of Värmland, is fourth in line to the Swedish throne. He holds a degree in Agricultural and Rural Management and together with his wife Princess Sofia, he is the founder of the Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia Foundation, whose purpose is to combat online hate speech and raise awareness about dyslexia.

An avid outdoorsman, in addition to being an IUCN Patron of Nature, he supports other charities, including the Swedish Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies. He is the recipient of many honours for his work and military service.

I am extremely happy to be given the opportunity to work with IUCN and in my role as Patron of Nature; I look forward to doing great things for nature
HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden

I am extremely happy to be given the opportunity to work with IUCN and in my role as Patron of Nature; I look forward to doing great things for nature

HRH Prince Carl Philip of Sweden

Dona Bertarelli is a philanthropist, ocean advocate, investor and accomplished sportswoman. She is the executive chair of Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy, co-chair of the Bertarelli Foundation, a World Economic Forum Friend of Ocean Action and previously served as the Special Adviser for the Blue Economy for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. A dedicated sailor, she co-founded the sailing team Sails of Change, with which she became the fastest woman to sail around the world.

Active in nature conservation, Dona worked through Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy to help establish over 16 million square kilometers of ecologically significant, large, and effective marine protected areas (MPAs). Dona also founded Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager, an innovative technological platform designed to enhance the management of marine protected areas.

Dona was instrumental in the development of Sports for Nature, a joint initiative of IUCN, the International Olympic Committee, the UN Environment Programme, the Convention on Biological Diversity and Dona Bertarelli Philanthropy. She also supports environmental education for youth through Sow my Dream, the Ocean Leaders Fellowship developed in partnership with Sustainable Ocean Alliance, as well as Scienscope at the University of Geneva.

She believes strongly in the power of business to do good for society and drove the development of her family’s pharmaceutical business Serono’s philanthropy and educational programmes, when she served as Executive Director of Public and Professional Affairs.
 

Francisca Cortés Solari is an entrepreneur, environmentalist and philanthropist who has dedicated her life to integral and sustainable development initiatives in Chile and around the world.

With an extensive personal and family background in the world of design and retail, in 2002 she founded Philanthropy Cortés Solari (PCS), a philanthropic project that promotes integral and sustainable development through integral education, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.

For more than 20 years, PCS has been working in Chile and Latin America on integral education programmes that are experiential and connected to nature. These programmes reach more than 7,000 young people and teachers each year.
Francisca has been an outstanding promoter of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation in Latin America through scientific research, environmental education and outreach projects developed by the MERI Foundation, part of Philanthropy Cortés Solari.

Projects include the study and conservation of cetaceans, condors and flamingos, as well as the organisation of regional climate meetings and co-organisation of the Science for Climate Action Pavilion at the UNFCCC COPs.

The PCS also protects three strategic areas for climate change mitigation, known as the Elemental Reserves, located at 22, 33 and 44 degrees south latitude in the Chilean Atacama Desert, Central Chile and Northern Chilean Patagonia.

In these three laboratories, and under Francisca's leadership, PCS is implementing a multi-dimensional model of effective conservation. This includes ecological, cultural, social and economic dimensions.
 

"To understand the environmental problem is also to understand the problem in which humanity finds itself. This requires a change in personal conscience. This will allow us to rebuild trust, reach collective consensus and take concrete action to ensure the survival of the species".

Dr Sylvia Earle is Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society, Founder of the Sylvia Earle Alliance (S.E.A.) / Mission Blue, Founder of Deep Ocean Exploration and Research Inc., Chair of the Advisory Council for the Harte Research Institute and former Chief Scientist of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Author of more than 200 publications and leader of more than 100 expeditions, Dr Earle holds a Ph.D. in botany and 27 honorary doctorates. Her research concerns the ecology and conservation of marine ecosystems and the development of technology to access the deep sea.

Dr Earle is the subject of the Emmy® Award Winning Netflix documentary, Mission Blue, and the recipient of more than 100 national and international honours and awards, including being named Time Magazine’s first Hero for the Planet, a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, a United Nations Environment Programme Champion of the Earth, Glamour Magazine’s 2014 Woman of the Year, a member of the Netherlands Order of the Golden Ark, and winner of the 2009 TED Prize, the Walter Cronkite Award, the 1996 Explorers Club Medal, the Royal Geographic Society 2011 Patron’s Medal, and the National Geographic 2013 Hubbard Medal.

Dr Earle is one of IUCN's greatest allies in ocean conservation, lending her powerful voice in support of IUCN's work towards sustainably managed oceans.

Mr Eric Jing is Chairman of Ant Group, an Affiliate of Alibaba Group, and previously served as Ant Group’s President and then CEO. Under his leadership, Ant Group's strategy is focused on inclusiveness, sustainability, and globalization, to bring small but beautiful changes to the world through digital transformation and equal access to financial and other services. Under Mr Jing, Ant Group continuously invests in and supports green development and green technology research and development.

Through the user community of Alipay Ant Forest, Ant Group encourages users to make low carbon lifestyle choices. In 2019, Alipay Ant Forest was awarded the United Nations Champions of the Earth award, its highest environmental honour. 
Mr Jing is a senior advisor to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders Foundation Board and served on the United Nations Secretary-General’s Task Force on Digital Financing of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Humphrey Kariuki is a Kenyan conservation advocate and the visionary Patron of the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy (MKWC), home to the world’s first Mountain Bongo sanctuary. He is internationally recognized for spearheading one of Africa’s most ambitious private-led wildlife recovery programs, aimed at restoring the critically endangered Mountain Bongo antelope to its natural habitat in the Mount Kenya forest.

Driven by a lifelong passion for Kenya’s biodiversity, Kariuki has committed over two decades to environmental preservation, habitat restoration, and species protection. Under his stewardship, MKWC has reared multiple generations of Mountain Bongos in a scientifically managed breeding and rewilding program, in partnership with global conservation institutions. His leadership has enabled the return of this iconic species to the wild for the first time in decades, offering a model for community-inclusive, private-sector-driven conservation across the continent.

Beyond species protection, Kariuki has championed large-scale reforestation within Mount Kenya’s critical water tower ecosystem, overseeing the planting of more than 40,000 indigenous trees across 350 acres. His approach integrates biodiversity conservation with sustainable tourism, community empowerment, and ecological education.

While best known for his conservation work, Humphrey Kariuki is also the founder of Janus Continental Group (JCG), a pan-African conglomerate operating in energy, hospitality, and real estate. His business ventures reflect a broader philosophy of sustainability, with investments in renewable power, eco-conscious hospitality, and circular economy practices.

As a speaker and thought leader, Kariuki brings a unique perspective to the intersection of conservation, responsible enterprise, and African development. He continues to advocate for public-private partnerships, long-term environmental stewardship, and inclusive models that position local communities as central stakeholders in Africa’s ecological future.

Patricia Ricard has been actively engaged in environmental protection for over 30 years and is President of the Oceanographic Institute Paul Ricard. Founded in 1966, the Institute operates as a public-private-philanthropic partnership and has been a member of IUCN since 2022.

Under her presidency, Patricia has made the balance of ocean-climate biodiversity in addressing climate change a priority and has devoted her energy to raise awareness among policy makers and the public. She is also Vice-President, Founder of the Ocean and Climate Platform, a consortium of 120 organisations acting for ocean protection and science-based policy. In this role, she helps build bridges between science, academia, policy makers and the private sector. Patricia also promotes nature-based solutions and biomimicry.

She sits in various boards of directors, including the French Biodiversity Agency and the French Southern and Antarctic Lands.

 Laura Turner Seydel works with organizations that are solving the biggest existential threats facing humanity.  

Laura serves on the board for the UN Foundation, which works as a strategic partner to help the UN mobilize people and resources for collective action, and on the board of the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), which is a global security organization focused on reducing nuclear and biological threats imperilling humanity.

Laura also serves on the board of Project Drawdown, the world’s leading resource for climate solutions, and Waterkeeper Alliance, a network of more than 300 waterkeeper organizations protecting clean water in communities around the world.  

In the field of regenerative agriculture, Laura serves as an Executive Producer for the documentary film “Common Ground” and the soon to be released film “Groundswell” which promote regeneration and healthy soil as viable solutions for wellness, water scarcity, the climate crisis and the extinction crisis.    
Additional organizations she serves include the Turner Foundation, Patron of Nature with the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Chair Emeritus for the Captain Planet Foundation. 
 

Dr Richard Sneider is an entrepreneur, conservationist and extreme explorer. Dr Sneider is a principal and Chairman of Earthbar, LLC, a leading retailer and brand in the Health and Wellness space, and a partner in Primestor Properties, a community building real estate development company. At IUCN, Dr Sneider served as IUCN Species Survival Commission Freshwater Fish Specialist Group Chair from 2009 to 2020.

Dr Sneider’s concern for rainforests, freshwater habitats and protection of species prompted him to join the Chairman’s Council of Conservation International, the Board at the Los Angeles Zoo and serve as a member of the ICOA Board of National Geographic, the Board of the Humpty Dumpty Institute, the Los Angeles World Council Affairs and act as an advisor to China’s Society of Ecological Entrepreneurs. He has also been deeply involved in the world of aquaria for 35 years and still designs, builds and sustains complex, one-of-a-kind, world class freshwater eco-systems.

Dr Sneider has a deep-rooted interest in exploration and fieldwork with traditional societies. He is a partner and principal of Papua Sorido/Kri in Raja Ampat and serves as Ambassador for the Brazilian Xingu 2030 and for the Crown Jewel of West Papua Environmental Sustainability Indigenous People’s initiatives and during a 2013 expedition, he discovered the significant M sneideri Kumawa rainbowfish species.

Dr Sneider holds a PhD in Intellectual History, is a guest lecturer at Harvard Kennedy School Ash Center on Leadership and Conservation and is involved in a wide array of philanthropic initiatives, earning him the 2017 Honouree of the City of Hope prestigious Spirit of Life award.

Jon Stryker is the founder and president of the Arcus Foundation, a private, global grantmaking organization. Arcus supports the advancement of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) human rights and conservation of the world's ape populations. Mr. Stryker has supported the foundation's ongoing efforts with more than $600 million in funding since its inception in 2000.

Mr. Stryker is also a founding board member of the Ol Pejeta Wildlife Conservancy in Northern Kenya, Save the Chimps in Ft. Pierce, Florida and Greenleaf Trust Bank in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He is a member of the Jane Goodall Legacy Foundation Council for Hope and serves on the boards of The Museum of Modern Art and Kalamazoo College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Biology before earning a master’s degree in Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley.
 

Jessica and Adam Sweidan founded Synchronicity Earth in 2009 to address global biodiversity loss. The goals of Synchronicity Earth are to increase the scale and impact of environmental philanthropy and to partner with the most effective organizations and individuals to reduce the loss of species and ecosystems.

Prior to establishing Synchronicity Earth, Jessica led the Synchronicity Foundation, which she and Adam created in 2000, overseeing donations to projects across the globe. Adam and Jessica are deeply engaged in the projects and people they support. The Synchronicity Foundation has supported over 70 projects in nearly 40 countries.

Adam is a founding partner and Chief Investment Officer of Aurum Fund Management Ltd. He has been investing in the alternative investment market for more than 20 years. In 2015 Adam and Jessica were made Honorary Conservation Fellows for the Zoological Society of London.